Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture

After spending several years touring the country as a stand up comedian, Ed Brayton tired of explaining his jokes to small groups of dazed illiterates and turned to writing as the most common outlet for the voices in his head. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN.

EVENTS

Perkins Blames Obama for FRC Shooting

Ever eager to exploit a tragic event for political gain, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council now says that at least part of the blame for the attack on their offices by a gunman lies with the Obama administration and its mythical attacks on religious freedom.

Perkins: What I would call an attack on religious freedom is trickling down in our country. It’s not just isolated to the administration but it’s as if the President and his administration’s indifference towards religious freedom has really created an open season all across this country. In fact next week down in Tampa as the Republican National Committee begins its work on its platform we’ll be working with Liberty Institute and we’ll be releasing a study that shows this increased hostility towards religious freedom in this country and I believe Rick in large part it’s driven in large part by the policies of this administration.

Santorum: When you look at what happened with the whole Chick-fil-A incident and across the country you see government officials, mayors of large cities, wanting to use the power of the government to force, to drive out Dan Cathy and the folks at Chick-fil-A from their cities. This is really unprecedented and you’re right it creates an atmosphere that when the government now is saying you folks are so evil that we can deny you access to participate in business within our city it leads to a lot of things that are going to not just constrict religious liberty but I think threaten a lot of other areas of our lives.

Perkins: Well I think as we witnessed this past week at the Family Research Council, clearly linked to that same atmosphere of hostility that’s created by the public policies of an administration that’s indifferent or hostile to religious freedom and groups like as I mentioned the Southern Poverty Law Center that recklessly throws around labels giving people like this gunman who came into our building a license to take innocent life.

What I would call an attack on religious freedom is trickling down in our country.

precious princess…

Are bad evil liberals not treating you as special anymore?
Are they actually refusing to let you tell them how to live?
Are they arguing with you and asking for evidence and proof of your assertions?

oh, you poor, poor baby!

When you look at what happened with the whole Chick-fil-A incident

You mean when when Dan Cathy noted his hatred of Gays and his support for FRC and others who push a virulently anti-homosexual agenda in the media and in politics?

Or when people chose not to indirectly fund you by buying his product?

Or when the KKKristian residents of dumbfuckistan stood in line to buy some chicken to show their solidarity with a self confessed bigot?

I think as we witnessedmade shit up again this past week at the Family Research Council, clearly linked to that same atmosphere of hostility that’s created by the public policies of an administration that’s indifferent or hostile to religious freedom people like us and groups like as I mentioned the Southern Poverty Law CenterAFA, Liberty Institute, Limbaugh, and many, many others that recklessly throws around labels giving people like this gunman who came into our building a license to take innocent life.

Perkins: Well I think as we witnessed this past week at the Family Research Council, clearly linked to that same atmosphere of hostility that’s created by the public policies of an administration that’s indifferent or hostile to religious freedom and groups like as I mentioned the Southern Poverty Law Center that recklessly throws around labels giving people like this gunman who came into our building a license to take innocent life.

No, no, no, you guys are forgetting the second amendment mantra. Whenever a shooting happens, the fault lies with the victims not being sufficiently well armed. The clear lesson from the FRC incident is that all FRC employees should pack heat at the office.

In fact next week down in Tampa as the Republican National Committee begins its work on its platform we’ll be working with Liberty Institute and we’ll be releasing a study that shows this increased hostility towards religious freedom in this country and I believe Rick in large part it’s driven in large part by the policies of this administration.

So, an increasing religious pluralism is the same thing as an attack on religious freedom. Good to know. I’m also sure that the Sikhs up in Milwaukee will be happy to hear that the FRC is going to start making sure that they have a bigger voice in government and don’t get shot at anymore.

when the government now is saying you folks are so evil that we can deny you access to participate in business within our city it leads to a lot of things that are going to not just constrict religious liberty but I think threaten a lot of other areas of our lives.

This from a guy who opposes all legislation that would expand equal opportunity and non-decimation laws to include homosexuals. He wants schools to be allowed to ban homosexual teachers. He wants townships to have the authority to deny subsidized housing or business licenses to gays and lesbians. So I guess, all things considered, I agree with Santorum, he is a serious threat to liberty.

Well I think as we witnessed this past week at the Family Research Council, clearly linked to that same atmosphere of hostility that’s created by the public policies of an administration that’s indifferent or hostile to religious freedom

But remember when a gunman spewing right wing rhetoric shoots up a mosque or beats a gay person to death, it’s just an isolated crazy person and suggesting that it has anything whatsoever with an atmosphere of hate and suspicion fostered by theocratic organizations.

and groups like as I mentioned the Southern Poverty Law Center that recklessly throws around labels giving people like this gunman who came into our building a license to take innocent life.

But remember calling innocent people child molesters and outright stating that they want to rape your children is completely reasonable and won’t inspire any violence ever.

Actually given that Steve King apparently believes that it is legal in this country to force a 13 year old girl to have sex with you and then force her to have an abortion, the right wing might not think that accusing gay people of organized child rape would provoke any reaction, because it’s already legal and acceptable.

I am shocked, but not SHOCKED, that so many of you Dispatch readers have forgotten that in Pres Obama proclamation for the National Day of Prayer, he clearly called for every gay fascist atheist Muslim communist honky to attack the FRC. Just sayin’.

I can’t explain it, but every time I read or hear about this guy I immediately think “Psycho”!

I originally didn’t know Tony Perkins’ background where I came up with a very different tenuously held notion. That was that he was a perfect representative of the slick and cynical lobbyists who cares not a whit for results or personal integrity, he merely sells whatever pays – happily.

However I’ve since done some research on him which reveals he could very well be a true believer, that my conclusion was based on irrational biases on my part that reward being articulate and personally attractive.